CH Pupils:- Want some advice on a career you're interested in? Want some job contacts for work experience, qualifications required?
Old Blues:- Want to support pupils and other old blues with careers advice in your area of expertise?

I said:
Likewise I am able to offer help on any career in the Royal Air Force (Recruitment/lifestlye etc) especially the Flying (Aircrew side of things). May be able to organise visits etc...
_________________
Lab 95-98
MidB 98-01
GrW 01-02 Second Monitor

My very good friend is currently CO of the DandD's. They are in Basra South at the moment, but will be returning to Catterick towards the end of the year. When visiting him at the end of last year in Catterick I bumped into some of the guys on Gap Year Commissions attached to the Regiment - they appeared to be having an excellent time. If you wish, I would happily put you in touch with him (tho' he is a touch busy at the moment).

And having said all that, given that the infantry regiments are soon to be merged into The Rifles, I am not sure what this all means for Gap Year Commissions (probably not very much)

Well, it's a small world. Col Toffer is my CO and I am currently serving under him in the DDLI in Al Faaw, Southern Iraq.

Right, to answer the previous question. The best point of contact is to speak to your School Liaison Officer who can set up visits to different Regiments and sponser you to attend RCB. I would give two pieces of advice when you look at which Regiment to apply for:

1) Don't judge a Regiment by it's media profile.
2) When you visit a Regiment spend as much time with the soldiers as possible, as it is still the case that Westcountrymen have a different character than cockneys or Yorkshiremen. However, even if you think the blokes are great, if you do not get on with the other young officers, if you think that for whatever reason that they are not who you would normally associate with then look elsewhere, as you will spend almost all your free time in the mess and if you don't like the other mess members it will be a miserable experience.

RCB: Just be yourself. Ensure that you are fully up to date with current affairs. You should be reading at least one broad sheet a day for several months before you attend, not flicking through the Telegraph on the train up to Westbury. At RCB you will under go a series of different challenges, both mental and physical. Make sure that:

1) You understand how levers work so that you can balance four hapless souls on the end of a plank whilst crossing the crocodile infested grass.

2) Ensure you basic maths, especially the speed/distance/time triangle is up to scratch as you will definately use that during your planning exercise.

If you are looking for a challenge then you will find one as a gap year officer. You must have a sense of humour - you will be the butt of most jokes from both officer and soldier alike, because after just 4 weeks at Sandhurst you will still have alot to learn. If you are hoping to deploy on operations you will be disappointed as Gap Year Officers don't due to their obvious lack of training. However, in my experience they often find themselves being given 'projects' by the CO, such as adventure training, 10 Tors etc, and on the whole end up having a great time, making lots of mistakes that only they can get away with, spending a fair amount of time in the bar, and doing your fair share of orderly officer's duties. There have been a couple in my Regiment since I joined and they all seem to have loved it. I would recommend it to anyone thinking of doing it.

Finally, there is a reorganisation of the Infantry going on at the moment. You SLA will be best placed to advise you. Suffice to say the 'old country Regiment' as many older OBs may remember it is going and being replaced by Regiments of 3 to 5 Bns. This should not effect the opportunities for Gap Year Commissions.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Feel free to PM if you want more specific advice, but I have tried to keep it fairly broad so that it may be of use to others as well.

I have been in the Royal Navy since leaving CH in '99. I was lucky enough to gain a full Cadetship to Uni with them. I am now with 801 Sqn as an Air Engineering Officer working with the RAF (someone has to) on the Harrier GR7's and 9's at RAF Cottesmore.

I am more than willing to help with any advice I can about the Navy selection process, especially with regards to gaining scholarships.

I should now correct the post to say "As a former British Army Officer... etc etc".

And if any British Army Officers want the lowdown on Lateral Transfers to the Australian Army I'll field those too!

Back in Aus from East Timor whilst my wife recovers from a fairly nasty C-Section after Second Son was born two weeks ago. Due to fly back out once she has recovered - so if anyone has any questions now is the time to get them in as I have plenty of time to check the internet at stupid o'clock in the morning whilst trying to calm a nocturnal baby!